Hadith Explanation

Love of Muslims

Narrated Abu Hurairah (radi Allahu anhu) that the Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “Allah will say on the Day of Resurrection, ‘Where are the two who loved one another for My sake? Today I will shade them with My shade, on a day when there will be no shade but My shade.’” [The Book of Al-Birr: Sahih Muslim]

To love someone for the sake of Allah is to love them because of their Islam; to not expect or want any favours from them but visit them and wish them well only because they are your brother or sister in Islam. There is no relationship or bond other than this that you both love Allah (subhana wa ta’ala), and by keeping each other’s company you both increase in your love of Him.

Love has many levels. If you love someone you want to give them gifts. Love makes you want to spend time with your loved ones. The love of parents for their children makes them willing to sacrifice their sleep and comfort for the well being of their child/children. The height of love is that you are willing to lay your life down to protect or rescue your loved one. Many parents can imagine that they would be willing to risk their own lives to save the life of their child.

What about the love that a Muslim is supposed to have for another Muslim? In the words of Syed Qutb Shaheed, “Our words are meaningless until we give them life with our blood.” Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) is asking you and me: “And what reason do you have not to fight in the cause of Allah, to rescue the helpless oppressed old men, women, and children who are crying: ‘Our Rabb! Deliver us from this town whose people are oppressors; send us a protector by Your grace and send us a helper from Your presence?’” [Al-Quran 4:75]

Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) commands: “O believers, fight them until there is no more mischief/fitnah and the Deen of Allah (way of life prescribed by Allah) is established completely.” [Al-Quran 8:39] Fitnah means shirk as Ibn Abbas and As-Sudi (radi Allahu anhum) said: “When the disbelievers attack and control a country, the Ummah is endangered in its religion and it becomes susceptible to doubt in its belief. Fighting them becomes an obligation to protect the religion, lives, honour and wealth.” [Al-Qurtubi 2/253]

Do we love our Muslim brothers and sisters enough to try to rescue them? To save their lives, their honour, their wealth, but most importantly their Islam, that is endangered by occupation? The reward of this love is nothing less than shade under the Throne of the All-Merciful on the Day when there will be no other shade, and the sun will be directly overhead, and the sinful will be up to their ears in their sweat.